Under the spell of Japanese cast-iron teapots
Are you interested in Japanese cast-iron teapots? These tea-time beauties are excellent instruments for preparing tea... With their eclectic shapes, finely crafted ornaments and attractive colors, they're as much for everyday use as for decoration. Place them next to a vase of cut flowers, and they provide a pretty Japanese tableau as you await their next service.
Derived from Japanese kettles, these teapots are recent creations, designed to respond to our attraction to beautiful Japanese objects and to the Western way of preparing loose tea or infusettes.
A little history
The origins of today's teapots lie in the cast-iron kettles developed for the Japanese tea ceremony in the 16th century. They are called "tetsubin - 鉄瓶" which literally means "steel cauldron".
They are handcrafted by pouring molten cast iron into clay molds that have previously been engraved with their motifs on the inside.
These molds can be single-use for some "master" kettles, and can take months to make. The cast iron traditionally used was made from the same ferruginous sand (satetsu - 砂鉄) used to make the steel for samurai katanas (tamahagane - 玉鋼).
Today, this cast iron has become very rare, but the essential characteristic of tetsubin is that it remains raw and porous.
As it heats up, the water interacts with the kettle's walls, allowing it to become loaded with trace elements (including iron), but also making the water chemically more apt to capture the volatile aromas of the tea leaves when poured into the teapot. Today's enamelled cast-iron teapots are derived from these noble kettles, which are still in production but often astronomically priced.
Inspired teapots
Surprising as it may seem, the origins of Japanese cast-iron teapots with inner linings are very recent, having only appeared in the 20th century.
Their appearance, emblematic of the Japanese aesthetic that has fascinated the West since the 19th century (we're thinking here of the prints that inspired the Impressionist painters), has been placed at the service of our way of enjoying tea.
They were created to meet a demand from Western consumers, who like to prepare their tea in large quantities and appreciate the ease of keeping it hot. They are made very much like tetsubin, using a terracotta mould.
The difference? An additional layer of enamel is applied to the inside of the teapots to prevent oxidation and make them non-porous. Totally neutral, it has no effect on the taste of the tea and is used in the same way as a porcelain teapot, but with the added benefit of retaining heat.
This enamelling means that all types of tea can be brewed without any memory effect, but above all, it makes maintenance much easier.
A few precautions for fragile teas
These teapots can be used with all types of tea. However, with white, green and yellow teas, it's important not to use water that's too hot, and to remove the tea leaves as soon as the infusion time has elapsed, or even a little earlier. Otherwise, there's a risk that the leaves will be "burnt", bringing out their bitterness.
Long life for your teapots
Properly cared for, enamelled cast-iron objects can last for generations. In the case of our teapots, it's best never to use them as a kettle, but only as a teapot by adding tea leaves and pouring in pre-heated water. Avoid using detergents or washing-up liquid to clean your teapot. Rinsing your cast-iron teapot in hot water is sufficient.
You can also wipe the teapot with a soft cloth while it's still warm, to keep its shine.
But the most important thing is not to put the lid back on until it's completely dry, to avoid oxidation. Ideally, you should then store it without the filter, with the lid half-open, to let it "breathe".
Over time, these fascinating teapots will take on a patina that will make them increasingly beautiful and endearing, in keeping with the pure "wabi-sabi" philosophy.
It's a bit of the Japanese art of living that you'll be bringing into your tastings or tea-time parties..
What is white tea?
White teas are renowned for being fine, delicate teas. These teas are rare and unprocessed. Discover our organic white teas.
How about eating tea leaves? Green tea pesto
Anti-waste cuisine par excellence, cooking with tea leaves allows you to enjoy the most prestigious teas right down to the last leaf.
How to prepare mate and enjoy its many benefits*?
This South American beverage is a concentrate of benefits: follow the guide, we'll tell you all about mate, its benefits and how to prepare it!
English